Women for Sobriety

What Women for Sobriety does

Women for Sobriety is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation incorporated in Pennsylvania and headquartered (mailing address only) in Quakertown, PA. Founded in 1975 by sociologist Jean Kirkpatrick, PhD, the organization provides abstinence-based recovery support specifically designed for women overcoming substance use disorders, structured around the New Life Program and its 13 Acceptance Statements. The program emphasizes emotional growth, self-esteem, and self-empowerment, positioning it as a secular alternative to 12-step models. It serves women over 18 seeking sobriety, with a companion CARE program (Community Awareness and Recovery Education) extending services to friends and family of those in addiction via the Invitation to Change framework licensed from CMCFFC.

The core product surface comprises 95+ free weekly peer-led meetings (in-person and Zoom-based), the password-protected WFS Online community where 800+ women connect weekly, and a catalog of supplementary publications and digital downloads (e.g., the New Life Program Booklet at $9, Reflections for Growth at $20, Quotes in Action Cards at $20, a guided meditation download at $15). The technology layer is intentionally lightweight: a community portal plus Zoom, with no proprietary platform, AI, or mobile application disclosed. All core services and community access are provided free of charge.

The business model is donation- and merchandising-led. Revenue is generated through individual donations (including sustaining sister programs, one-time gifts, and the Hilary Broderick Legacy Fund supporting CARE), supplemented by merchandise sales through the online store. The organization is volunteer-driven with 1-10 paid staff and operates under a board of directors currently led by Executive Director Dr. Michelle Shaivitz and President Marilyn P. Geographic reach is global via online channels, with participants documented across 20+ countries including the US, Canada, Australia, Japan, Brazil, and South Africa, while in-person meetings are community-rooted in rent-free facilitator-secured spaces.

Name

Women for Sobriety

Legal name

Women for Sobriety, Inc.

Website

https://womenforsobriety.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Founded in 1975, Women for Sobriety is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit delivering a secular abstinence-based recovery program (the New Life Program, built on 13 Acceptance Statements) through 95+ free weekly peer-led meetings and an online community for women overcoming substance use disorders.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Addiction Recovery Services

NAICS

Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers (621420), Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers (62142)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Peer Support, Recovery Coaching & Sober Living Services (HLAFACAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Substance Use Disorder Prevention & Recovery Services (BPAGACAE), Substance Use Recovery & Harm Reduction Support Services (BPAGAEAO)

Keywords

• Addiction recovery support
• Women sobriety program
• Peer support groups
• Recovery education
• Nonprofit recovery services

Headquarters

HQ city

Quakertown

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, Women for Sobriety relies primarily on donations from individuals, including sustaining sister programs, one-time donations, and monthly recurring donations. The Hilary Broderick Legacy Fund supports the CARE program.
2. Merchandise and Publications Sales: The organization sells recovery-related books, card packs, and digital downloads through its online store. Products include the New Life Program Booklet ($9.00), Reflections for Growth ($20.00), Beginner's Collection ($12.00), Quotes in Action Cards ($20.00), Transformed! A Guided Meditation ($15.00), and On The Road To Sell Recovery ($7.50). Digital downloads are available for immediate access.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Women for Sobriety is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides free, peer-facilitated recovery support for women overcoming alcohol and substance use disorders. Its core offering is the New Life Program, built on 13 Acceptance Statements, delivered through 95+ weekly in-person and online meetings and a password-protected online community (WFS Online). The organization also runs the CARE companion program for family and friends of those in addiction, and sells recovery books, card packs, and digital media through its online store.

Product overview

Women for Sobriety operates as a nonprofit recovery organization offering a unified program centered on the New Life Program, which consists of 13 Acceptance Statements. The core program is delivered through peer-led meetings (95+ weekly free sessions) and the WFS Online password-protected community. The organization supplements its program with a catalog of recovery books and media products sold through its store, including the New Life Program Booklet ($9), Reflections for Growth ($20), Beginner's Collection ($12), Quotes in Action Cards ($20), Transformed! A Guided Meditation digital download ($15), and On The Road To Sell Recovery ($7.50). The CARE program extends services to friends and family members of those in addiction. All core services and community access are free; revenue is generated through merchandise sales and donations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• New Life Program: The core abstinence-based recovery program based on 13 Acceptance Statements, designed specifically for women overcoming challenges with alcohol and other drug use
• CARE

Products and services

• Peer-Led Meetings

Quantifiable outcome

• 50+ years in operation supporting women's recovery

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Invitation to Change (CMCFFC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe CARE program is based on the Invitation to Change approach, an evidence-based, holistic program developed by the CMCFFC (Center for Motivation and Change). This partnership provides the framework for the family and friends support program.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• SMART Recovery: SMART Recovery is a secular, science-based mutual-help alternative to 12-step programs offering self-empowering tools for addiction recovery. It is directly comparable to WFS as a non-12-step peer support model, but uses CBT/REBT tools rather than the Acceptance Statements framework and serves all genders.
• LifeRing Secular Recovery: LifeRing is a secular, abstinence-based peer support network offering meetings (in-person and online) for people in recovery from alcohol and drugs. It is a direct peer to WFS in its secular, empowerment-focused, non-12-step approach, but is co-ed rather than women-only.
• Secular Organizations for Sobriety (SOS): SOS is a nonprofit secular alternative to 12-step recovery that emphasizes self-reliance and personal responsibility in achieving sobriety. Closely mirrors WFS's secular, self-empowerment orientation but is co-ed and lacks WFS's women-specific focus and structured 13-Statement curriculum.

Broad incumbents

• Alcoholics Anonymous World Services: AA is the dominant global peer-facilitated recovery fellowship, with millions of members and 100,000+ meetings worldwide. It is a broad incumbent comparable to WFS in delivery model (free peer-led meetings) but differs fundamentally in its 12-step spiritual framework and co-ed membership.
• Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation: Hazelden Betty Ford is a large, established addiction treatment provider operating residential, outpatient, and digital programs. Comparable to WFS as a major SUD recovery brand, but delivers clinically-intensive, insurance-funded care rather than free peer support.
• Caron Treatment Centers: Caron is a well-established nonprofit addiction treatment provider offering residential, outpatient, and family programs. Comparable to WFS as a nonprofit in the SUD recovery space with women's programming, but Caron delivers clinical, paid treatment rather than free peer-led support.

Others

• Narcotics Anonymous World Services: NA is a 12-step peer support fellowship specifically for drug addiction, paralleling AA's structure. Comparable to WFS as a peer-led recovery fellowship, though its 12-step spiritual orientation contrasts with WFS's secular, women-only model.

Emerging players

• Tempest: Tempest (formerly The Temper) is a digital-first, evidence-based recovery platform offering membership programs, therapy, and community for people with problematic drinking. It overlaps WFS in target audience and recovery community, but uses a clinical/subscription model rather than free peer support.
• Lionrock Recovery: Lionrock delivers online counseling and support groups for alcohol and drug addiction via video conferencing. It is an emerging player in digital recovery meetings, overlapping WFS's online meeting delivery model but adding licensed clinical services.
• Sober Grid: Sober Grid is a mobile social networking app connecting people in recovery, with features like sober date tracking, community groups, and chat. It overlaps WFS's online community (WFS Online) but is broader in audience and uses a freemium app model.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wfs4c

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Women for Sobriety